Potentilla plant named ‘Red Lady’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Potentilla  plant named ‘Red Lady’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; large red-colored flowers that maintain red coloration during the summer; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Potentilla fruticosa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RED LADY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPotentilla plant, botanically known as Potentilla fruticosa, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red Lady’.

The new Potentilla plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program was to develop new Potentilla plants withred-colored flowers that maintain red coloration during the summer.

The new Potentilla plant originated from a self-pollination in July,2004 of Potentilla fruticosa ‘Marion Red Robbin’, not patented. The newPotentilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in August,2005 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the statedself-pollination in a controlled environment in Boskoop, TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Potentilla plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled environment in Boijl, The Netherlands since June, 2006,has shown that the unique features of this new Potentilla plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Potentilla have been observed under all possiblecultural and environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhatwith variations in cultural practices and environment such astemperature and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Red Lady’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Red Lady’ as a new and distinct Potentillaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Large red-colored flowers that maintain red coloration during        the summer.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Potentilla can be compared to plants of the parent,‘Marion Red Robbin’. Plants of the new Potentilla differ primarily fromplants of ‘Marion Red Robbin’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Potentilla are more spreading than plants        of ‘Marion Red Robbin’.    -   2. Plants of the new Potentilla are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Marion Red Robbin’.    -   3. During the summer, flowers of plants of the new Potentilla        maintain red coloration whereas flowers of plants of ‘Marion Red        Robbin’ become orange red in color.

Plants of the new Potentilla can be compared to plants of Potentillafruticosa ‘White Lady’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application No.12/799,431. Plants of the new Potentilla differ primarily from plants of‘White Lady’ in flower color as plants of ‘White Lady’ havewhite-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Potentilla plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Potentilla plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Red Lady’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves and stems of ‘Red Lady’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Red Lady’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in two-liter containers during theautumn in an outdoor nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands and underconditions which closely approximate commercial Potentilla production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 8° C.to 18° C. and night temperatures ranged from 1° C. to 12° C. Plants weretwo years old when the photographs and the description were taken. Inthe description, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Potentilla fruticosa ‘Red Lady’.-   Parentage: Self-pollination of Potentilla fruticosa ‘Marion Red    Robbin’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 21 to 25 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About three months at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial deciduous shrub;            upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit,            roughly globular in shape; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, usually about 52            lateral branches develop per plant; pinching enhances            lateral branch development.        -   Plant height.—About 25.1 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 33.6 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 11 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 6 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Pubescent, rough; woody with development.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 165A.        -   Color, woody.—Close to 200B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; palmately compound with three            leaflets per leaf; leaflets sessile.        -   Leaf length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 4 mm.        -   Leaflet shape.—Narrowly obovate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Apiculate.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Entire.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to            137B. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138B.            Mature leaflets, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,            close to N137B. Mature leaflets, lower surface: Close to            138B; venation, close to 191B.        -   Leaf petiole.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 0.75 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement, shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers,            flowers usually terminal and sometimes in pairs; flowers            face upright; freely flowering habit, about six flowers and            flower buds per lateral branch.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 7.5            months after planting and flower from the late spring into            the autumn in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five days; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 145B to 145C.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Depth (height): About 9 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About            1.4 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Orbicular; slightly            concave. Apex: Obtuse to retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 45B. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 10C to 10D. Fully opened,            upper surface: Between 42A and 45B; color does not fade with            development or under high temperatures during the summer.            Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 10C to 10D.        -   Petaloids.—Occurrence: About 60% of the flowers have a            single petaloid. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 7 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 45B. When opening, lower surface: Close to            10C to 10D. Fully opened, upper surface: Between 42A and            45B; color does not fade with development or under high            temperatures during the summer. Fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 10C to 10D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About            5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Immature, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 145B to 145C. Mature, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 145B to 145C; towards the margins, close            to 165B.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 4 mm.            Diameter: About 0.75 mm. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 147D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 25.            Filament length: About 2 mm. Anther size: About 1 mm by            0.5 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color: Close to 14A to            14B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 22A.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: About 30. Pistil length: About            1.5 mm. Stigma color: Greyed red. Style length: About            1.2 mm. Style color: Close to 144B to 144C. Ovary color:            Close to 144B to 144C.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Potentilla have been    observed to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 3 and to tolerate high    temperatures of about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Potentilla have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Potentilla.

1. A new and distinct Potentilla plant named ‘Red Lady’ as illustratedand described.